Item - 2026.NY34.96

North York Community Council:

1. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director, Development Review, General Manager, Toronto Water and General Manager, Transportation Services, to advance the final phase of Growing Marlee-Glencairn in a manner that ensures the final report addresses:

a. community infrastructure to support current needs including community recreation facilities and police services;

b. water and sewer infrastructure required to service future projected growth within the Growing Marlee-Glencairn Study Area; inclusive of a funding plan by the landowner groups in the area;

c. a range of mobility options to support travel choices for area residents and workers including congestion management, reconfiguration of ramps at Lawrence Allen and Marlee Avenue, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, including the possibility of a new pedestrian bridge or the reconfiguration of existing bridges; and

d. electricity infrastructure for the Marlee corridor from Lawrence to Eglinton.

2. Requested the General Manager of Transportation Services to conduct a traffic volume monitoring study of existing conditions on common through-routes in the study area to support development of traffic infiltration mitigation strategies that can be advanced with the mobility study outlined above in Part 1c above.

I am writing regarding the final phase of the Marlee-Glencairn Study to ensure that the final report comprehensively addresses the infrastructure and service needs required to support both current residents and future growth along the Marlee Avenue corridor.

The Marlee-Glencairn community continues to attract significant development interest due to its proximity to higher-order transit and its designation within a future Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA), consistent with provincial planning policy and legislative changes that require municipalities to plan for intensified, transit-supportive growth in areas well served by higher-order transit. While growth presents opportunities for badly needed new housing and investment, it must be accompanied by the infrastructure, community services, and mobility improvements necessary to create a complete and sustainable community that supports a high quality of life for residents today, and for decades to come.

As the study advances toward completion, the final report must provide a clear assessment of community infrastructure needs, including social and recreational facilities as well as adequate police services. Existing community amenities are already heavily utilized, and expansion will place additional demands on these services. Planning for development must include a strategy to ensure that residents have access to the facilities and services needed to support healthy, safe, and connected communities.

The final report should also identify the water and sewer infrastructure required to accommodate growth. Sufficient and appropriately phased servicing capacity is essential to supporting development while protecting system reliability and maintaining service levels for existing residents and businesses. The assessment should also consider infrastructure resilience, including opportunities to reduce the risk of basement flooding, manage wet weather flows, and address system capacity constraints that may be exacerbated by future growth.

Transportation and mobility considerations are equally critical. Residents have consistently raised concerns regarding the existing, unacceptable congestion, safety, accessibility, and connectivity. The final phase of the Study should therefore evaluate a full range of mobility options that help mitigate congestion including the reconfiguration of the Allen Expressway ramps at Lawrence Avenue West, enhanced pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and opportunities to improve connections across existing barriers such as a new pedestrian bridge or the reconfiguration of existing bridges.

Finally, as the City plans for long-term growth and intensification, it is important to assess the capacity and future needs of electricity infrastructure serving the Marlee corridor. Reliable electrical service is a critical component of sustainable communities supporting housing, businesses, public facilities, and broader city-building objectives.

The Growing Marlee-Glencairn Study presents an opportunity to establish a comprehensive framework that aligns future growth with the infrastructure investments necessary to support it. Residents deserve confidence that development will be guided by thoughtful planning and coordinated infrastructure delivery.

I encourage Council to support this motion and ensure that the final phase of the study provides a thorough assessment of the community infrastructure, servicing, transportation, and utility requirements needed to accommodate future growth to create a complete and sustainable community in a responsible manner.